GRAMMAR & STRUCTUREIndependent and Dependent Clauses

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. There
are two kinds of clauses:

An independent clause is a complete
thought, a sentence. It has the main subject and verb of a sentence.
(It is also called a main clause.)

A dependent clause is NOT a complete
thought and is not a sentence. The dependent clause gives incomplete
information. It must be linked to an independent
clause. (It is also called a subordinate clause.)

Example

When do the students listen?

Independent clause
Sentence — Question

The students listen.

Independent clause
Sentence — Statement

when the teacher talks

Dependent clause
NOT a sentence

The students listen when the teacher talks.

Complex sentence with independent clause and dependent
clause

Explanation

There are three types of dependent clauses:

Adverbclause - This
type of dependent clause modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or
adverb in the independent clause. Adverb clauses are introduced by a
subordinate conjunction (a kind of linking word).
For example: When it rains, I wear my hat.

Adjectiveclause - This
type of dependent clause modifies or describes a noun or a pronoun in
the independent clause. Relative pronouns ("who", "whose", "whom", "which",
and "that") introduce adjective clauses.
For example: The book that I read last week wasn't
very good.

Nounclause - This
type of dependent clause is used as the subject or the direct object
of a verb. It is used the same way a noun is used. Noun clauses are introduced
by the following words: "who", "whose", "whom", "what", "where", "which", "when", "why", "how", "that", "if",
and "whether".
For example: The tour guide asked who wanted to
go to the restaurant.

A dependent clause:

cannot be written as a complete sentence.

can be placed at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of
an independent clause.

can use a simplified tense when the independent clause clearly shows
the time. For example, a dependent clause often uses the present tense
instead of will + infinitive when the independent
clause uses the future tense.